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Consumable Online Issue 096
==== ISSUE 96 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [December 23, 1996]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Dan Enright, Tim Kennedy, Reto
Koradi, David Landgren, Sean Eric McGill,
Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges,
Scott Byron, Paul Grzelak, Janet Herman, Bill
Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Jackson,
Daniel Kane, Stephen Lin, Bob Mackin, Scott
Miller, Al Muzer, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali
Sinclair, Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl,
Courtney Muir Wallner, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Also Contributing: Rob Hilliard
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@email.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
EDITOR'S NOTES
HOLIDAY COMPILATION ALBUMS
CONCERT REVIEW: Michelle Shocked - Rob Hilliard
REVIEW: The Golden Palominos, _Dead Inside_ - Lee Graham Bridges
TOP FIVE OF THE YEAR. Including: Marc Almond, Tori Amos, Leah
Andreone, Fiona Apple, Baby Bird, Bjork, Blue Nile, Borrowers,
Cast, Cheese, Chemical Brothers, Cure, Dead Can Dance, Def
Leppard, DJ Shadow, Dodgy, Doug Powell, Ed's Redeeming Qualities,
Elevator Drops, Enigma, Brian Eno, Jason Falkner, Fountains Of
Wayne, Girls Against Boys, David Gray, Hamell On Trial, Iggy Pop,
Jesus Lizard, Brad Jones, Korn, Lemonheads, Les Tetes Raides,
Makeup, Manic Street Preachers, Neurotic Outsiders, Nirvana,
Oasis, Odds, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Holly Palmer, Pantera, Gram
Parsons, Placebo, Pogues, Jonny Polonsky, Prodigy, Pulp, R.E.M.,
Rollerskate Skinny, Ruby, Scarce, Semisonic, Slobberbone, Space,
Stereolab, Stiller Has, Sting, Suede, Matthew Sweet, T.A.F.K.A.P.,
Tool, Tricky, Wilco, Wrens
ERRATA: Pig
Back Issues of Consumable
---
EDITOR'S NOTES:
- Bob Gajarsky
With the end of another year, it's a time to look back
at what we found the best of 1996. We've included a few reviews
in here, but most of our final issue of the year highlight what
we most enjoyed of 1996. We hope that if you haven't heard of
some of these releases, this capsule summary will pique your
interest.
And, I'd like to personally thank each and every one of
our writers who have kept Consumable going. It takes a lot
of work from everyone to maintain the oldest collaborative music
reviews publication on the Internet, and it's greatly appreciated.
We'd like to thank the people in the industry who are supportive
of us and understand the power of the Internet, and how we're
different than all those online web sites with false claims.
Finally, we'd like to thank all of our readers - the feedback,
whether published or not, is appreciated and helps us provide the
music information you want - and need - to know.
We'll be back strong in a couple weeks. Enjoy the holidays!
---
HOLIDAY COMPILATION ALBUMS
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Yuletunes_ (Black Vinyl)
- Al Muzer
Released way back in 1991 on the indie label helmed by
acclaimed pop group, Shoes - this 16-track holiday compilation
easily outshines the eggnog-oriented crap now being released by
the majors to cash in on the pending holiday joy.
Any album featuring Shoes, Matthew Sweet, Material Issue,
The Cavedogs, Marti Jones, The Spongetones, Don Dixon and Bill
Lloyd would be a classic no matter what subject the artist's
involved decided to sing about - the Christmas theme these tunes
all share, however, makes this disc a "must have" for maximum
volume at family gatherings around the tree this holiday season.
All songs, save one, are original, jangle-rock
celebrations of "The Saddest Time of the Year" (as Spooner from
Madison, Wisc. puts it). An instant favorite in any power-pop
collection, many of these songs are the sort of thing you'll want
to hear year round.
For more information, contact Black Vinyl, 2269 Sheridan
Road, Zion, Illinois 60099. Cost for the CD is $15 plus $2 P&H
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _A Classic Cartoon Christmas_ (Epic)
- Bob Gajarsky
When the holidays roll around, stores become filled with
racks and racks of the seasonal compilations. And some relatives
will ask the music fan in the family to "Go buy one or two of them
to play at Aunt Jemima's during Christmas dinner". The key here
isn't to experiment, but to get songs that everyone knows, to
keep the holiday spirit flowing.
_A Classic Cartoon Christmas_ perfectly fits that bill.
With the original songs that are known by people of ages 3 to 93,
Mickey Rooney and Jimmy Durante aren't exactly world class
vocalists, but their voices breed a familiarity that makes
everyone think of the "good old days" - even if they weren't quite
so good - and eagerly await the new year. Kids of all ages
will appreciate Kermit and the Muppets singing on two different
tracks - and for the Scrooge in the family, there's the inclusion
of "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch".
It's not experimental, it's not daring, and it's nothing
new. But it *is* everything people think about Christmas.
TRACK LISTING: Welcome Christmas; Burl Ives - Rudolph The Red Nosed
Reindeer; Billie RIchards and Paul Soles - We're A Couple of Misfits;
Jimmy Durante - Frosty The Snowman; Mickey Rooney & Keenan Wynn -
Put One Foot In Front Of The Other; Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas
Time Is Here, Hark The Herald Angels Sing, O Tannenbaum; Muppets -
Jingle Bells/Jingle Bell Rock, We Need a Little Christmas; You're
A Mean One Mr. Grinch; Fred Astaire - Santa Claus Is Coming To
Town; Vienna Boys Choir - Little Drummer Boy; Burl Ives - Holly
Jolly Christmas
---
REVIEW: Mary Margaret O'Hara, _Christmas EP_ (Koch)
- Al Muzer
With a mere 2,500 copies of this EP scheduled for release,
the follow up to her outstanding (and only) 1988 album promises to
maintain O'Hara's semi-obscure status while keeping her semi-legendary
reputation intact.
Lending her truly beautiful voice to one holiday classic
("Silent Night"), two R&B cuts ("Blue Christmas," "What Are You
Doing New Years Eve?") and one MMO'H original ("Christmas Evermore")
worthy of the charts any time of the year - O'Hara is Patsy Cline,
Bessie Smith, Kaye Starr and Kate Bush in one emotional, deeply
moving package.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Michelle Shocked and the Casualties of Wah,
Pittsburgh, PA
- Rob Hillard
Halfway through an unforgettable three hour performance,
Michelle Shocked looked at the ceiling and said, "Ya know, I'm gonna
wake up tomorrow and regret having ever opened my mouth."
Humble words from a performer whose combination of words and
music had already taken her admiring audience by the hearts and left
them searching for their souls. A passionate artist with a penchant
for preaching, Michelle spent a cool autumn evening in Pittsburgh
spreading strong words amidst an exciting variety of musical
adventures.
Stylishly dressed in black velvet pants and a lavender
velvet T-shirt, Michelle needed no introduction as she strapped on
her trademark white Stratocaster and scratched out the opening riff
of "Graffiti Limbo". While she originally revealed the familiar
surroundings of the Graffiti stage as her inspiration, it soon became
clear that it was the "not guilty" verdict in a heavily publicized
local trial that had truly stirred her passion. The case of a white
police officer from suburban Brentwood, one of several officers
accused in the choking death of a black motorist named Jonny Gammage,
closely parallels her musical tribute to a black graffiti artist named
Micheal Stewart, who died of suffocation in the presence of eleven
New York City Transit cops. Michelle made it clear that she wanted
to know how the audience felt about the verdict. "Can you imagine
what kind of death it is to die, if the last sight you see is people
treating you unjustly?"
Michelle left the song and the sermon unfinished. Instead
she brought out her five-piece band, the Oakland-based Casualties of
Wah, and rolled into a sizzling trio of torchy lounge numbers that
could have melted the ice in a freshly stirred cocktail. Fiery
versions of two new songs, "Innocence Waits" and "Why Do I Get The
Feeling" warmed up the stunned audience. Keeping the pace, she
belted out "Little Billie," which tells the story of a mother's
mournful dance for the death of her son ("She scratched the coffin
with her shoes"). Seasoned fans have learned to expect the
unexpected from Shocked, but this wonderful lounge act caught
everyone by surprise.
The loud cry of Dixieland horns provided a soulful intro
to "Poor Boy," and before we knew it, Michelle and her boys had
dragged us out of that greasy lounge and into the cobblestone
streets of her adopted hometown of New Orleans. Here in the Big
Easy, she told the comical tale of an unwelcome party guest named
"Wizard," then shared some words of caution with the "Clevelands,"
an amusing label used to identify Bourbon Street tourists.
Transitioning next to a tongue-in-cheek gospel rendition
of "Lucky Dog," Michelle made it clear that the night was young
and we still had a lot of ground to cover. She brought up her
brother and former Uncle Tupelo sideman, Max Johnston (his acoustic
trio, the Pony Stars, opened the show). Max played fiddle on her
vintage hit, "Anchorage," deviating from the standard waltz to
include an unusual polka break. Max stuck around to play guitar
on a rousing rendition of "Come a Long Way" that was one of the
evening's many highlights.
An enormous proponent of audience participation, Michelle
used the spirited emotion of "If Love Was a Train" to get us to
join her in an ass-shaking rendition of the Dirty Dog dance. With
everyone still on their feet, she brought up Max and the Pony Stars
and picked through a version of "Prodigal Daughter" that started
out as a square dance, then culminated into a blazing hoe-down.
Things cooled down a bit with the funky rhythm and blues of "Quality
of Mercy," a delectable cut from the _Dead Man Walking_ soundtrack.
"Look y'all. I'm not trying to impress, I'm trying to
commune." With that, the band took a break as Michelle revisited
the sermon she had begun earlier. With the staggering rhythm of
"Graffiti Limbo" as her backdrop, her passions soared again as she
bared her soul. She told how earlier that day, after the verdict
was announced, she had attended the mayor's press conference, then
stopped into a local police station to check the mood. She
recalled a similar incident in her past, living in LA during the
Rodney King trial. Her stories were dotted with lessons of death,
religion, and the paradox of skin color. Throughout the song, she
used words to try and describe her emotions. Then, as she rolled
back her head and wailed the final verse, she let us all feel her
pain.
Seeking comfort from her musical companions, she brought
back the Casualties of Wah for another pair of new songs, "Peach
Fuzz" and "Tabloid," then dismissed them once again for a short but
powerful solo segment. Here, Michelle showcased several songs off
of "Kind Hearted Woman," her most recent release on the Private
Music label (www.private-music.com/pm). She started off with
"Stillborn" and "Homestead," two sad, stark tales of a woman dealing
with the hardships of life and death.
"VFD" was the last of only four songs Michelle played from
her three Polygram releases, an era she now seems to be putting
behind her. The recent release of the retrospective _Mercury
Poise_ (originally dubbed Mercury Poisoning by Michelle) marks the
final chapter in Michelle's long battle to be released from her
contract with Mercury/Polygram. With the support of a new label,
and her first national release in four years, you can expect to hear
a lot more from Michelle Shocked, possibly as soon as next spring.
"VFD" was followed by Michelle's sequel to this pyrotechnic
tale of a childhood friend named "Eddie" who liked to start fires in
the fields of East Texas. Wrapping up her solo set with the sad
story of a mother losing a child, "A Child Like Grace" was
accompanied by a moving sermon on death and the importance of life.
For the finale, Michelle brought back her wonderful band to
bring us all forth from the depths of despair. "Juicy Lucy" is a
rocking R&B number that allows the whole band to stretch. Michelle
retreated to the back of the stage where she danced in abandon while
we listened to each member take a break: Carl Wheeler Jr. on
keyboards, Jamie Brewer on drums, Joel Smith on bass, Richard
Armstrong on Trumpet, and Michael Rinta on trombone. Wrapping up
the three-hour set with the sweet sounds of the 70's, Michelle used
"You Are So Good To Me" song to thank her fans, introduce her fine
band, and then retreat through the club to the exit while the music
played on.
Michelle Shocked stretched the boundaries of live entertainment
this evening, bringing impassioned sermons about racism and death on a
stage already crowded with lounge room love songs, Crescent City R&B,
and bluegrass hoedowns. All said, it was an intensely satisfying
affair, as this kind-hearted woman took us all from the deepest
despair to the highest highs in a matter of a few small hours.
---
REVIEW: The Golden Palominos, _Dead Inside_ (Restless)
- Lee Graham Bridges
"I'm in the trunk. My wrists and ankles are tied. Tape
over my mouth until it almost covers my nose but I can breathe
barely. I must have been here for hours, everything's stiff and my
head throbs like someone's drumming on china." This, an excerpt from
"Victim", is how the Golden Palominos' latest, _Dead Inside_, begins.
The nine other songs also smother the listner with tales of murder,
domination, and decay.
Anton Fier has been the mainstay of the Golden Palominos over
its thirteen-year history, working with John Lydon, Michael Stipe, Syd
Straw, Matthew Sweet, Bob Mould, and Richard Thompson in the past, and
more recently, Lori Carson and Bootsy Collins. He has evolved in
style from country rock to slight electronics, and has now moved into
the arena of electronic, atmospheric darkness with _Dead Inside_, a
collaboration with New York poet Nicole Blackman.
Fier's music is generally good, although it has boring
moments. But what's clear is that the music is only supposed to be a
backdrop for Blackman's spoken word performance - often quiet and
nonrhythmic. Sometimes the two mesh well, creating a rhythmic balance
that keeps the listener's attention; "Belfast" and "Ride", with their
A-B-C-B lyrical structure, combined with talking instead of singing,
oddly bring to mind any number of MC 900 Ft Jesus tunes. Other times,
the delivery or structure miss their mark or are awkward (A small
example: "Children are killed because they write an enemy's name
backwards on the wall," Blackman enunciates angrily in the verbal
barrage of "The Ambitions Are").
Blackman's poetry itself is interesting - realistic doom and
gloom throughout. Still, there seems to be little adaptation of the
material commonly performed at a reading to the realm of musical
expression. Both Fier and Blackman favored a freeform approach to
writing the songs, but the music and text seem stuck together
incohesively.
Fier and Blackman deserve credit for breaking away and
creating something unique with _Dead Inside_, but the aural black paint
they have coated their audience with sometimes wears too thin.
---
TOP FIVE ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
Our writers were asked to pick their five favourite
releases of the year - some may have come out in '95, but all
achieved some sort of fame in 1996. Some included singles,
one included a twist on a theme (thanks Jeremy!), but all
the mentions here are the best of their genre in 1996. If you
like the comparisons mentioned below, it's a good time to
pick up the mentioned releases.
Jeremy Ashcroft (Top 5 musical highlights)
Gig: Jesus Lizard, Buckley Tivoli, North Wales. For
whatever reason, lack of promotion or whatever, there can't have
been much more than 50 people in attendance, and while lesser
bands may have been disheartened and given a perfunctory show at
best, the Jesus Lizard could have been playing for a stadium for
all the energy they still put into the performance, though with a
unique kind of intimacy. It was a real fusion of performer and
audience... Yow often using the mostly empty venue as an extension
of his stage, at other times there were more of the audience on the
stage than off it. David Yow may be known for his stage diving, but
to see him do it when there's only about 20 people to catch him is
even more amazing. If anyone ever meets the band, ask them about
this night... I know they'll remember it too!
Band: The Makeup. Imagine James Brown fronting The Stooges.
I had the good fortune to see them twice in one weekend... once
supporting Sonic Youth, next time headlining a tiny college gig. I
was spellbound both times.
Book: Brian Eno, _A Year With Swollen Appendices_. Often
regarded an egghead, boffin type, Eno's 1995 diary reveals an often
more earthy nature, an amazing sense of humour and provides an
insight into his working practices on such albums as Bowie's _Outside_
and U2's _Passengers_ project.
TV performance: Iggy Pop, still outrageous, wearing nothing
but transparent plastic pants on UK's The White Room music show, and
still with the energy that can only come from a 'runaway son of a
nuclear A-bomb.' _Naughty Little Doggie_ is also one of the year's
best albums, and the _Nude and Rude_ compilation is an essential if
you don't already have any Iggy.
Fanzine: Mystery Achievement. Okay, I'm biased, since this
Pretenders 'zine is put together by friends of mine, but as fanzines
go, this is a really professional publication and a real labour of
love for all involved. Martin Chambers thinks it's great.
(mailto: noisygrrl@aol.com for details)
Lee Graham Bridges
1) Dead Can Dance, _Spiritchaser_ (4AD). Few fans and
even fewer first-time DCD listeners have been dissatisfied with
the South American flavor of this album. Perry and Gerrard bare
their souls with sliding guitars, authentic performance, fewer
vocals in English, and longer songs, that combine to make an album
even darker as a whole than their previous, phenomenal studio
effort, _Into the Labyrinth_.
2) Tricky, _Pre-Millenium Tension_ / Nearly God, _Nearly
God_ (Island). Tricky remains one of the most original, inspiring
lyrical masterminds of the 90s. His music still defies
classification (the label "trip-hop" has been offered, which
neither he nor I agree with - he is miles ahead of other trip-hoppers
like Portishead). This is true, hardcore, sinister rhythm - both
highly satisfying albums, even if quite different in nature.
3) Stereolab, _Emporer Tomato Ketchup_ (Elektra). A bit
more melodic and pop-sounding than previous albums, yet distorted,
droning guitars and synthesizers still show up, as do the trademark
French lyrics and loudness, loudness...a freakazoid, fun, engrossing
work.
4) Enigma 3, _Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!_ (Virgin). A
complete recovery from the disaster of Enigma 2, _Le Roi Est Mort..._
hangs on to traditional songform, but presents plenty of dark and
light harmonies to satisfy the passive listener on their way to
sleep - an easy, beautiful sound indeed.
5) Rollerskate Skinny, _Horsedrawn Wishes_ (Warner). This
new Irish band, rivaled in volume and beautiful distortion only by
My Bloody Valentine, utilizes harsh guitars, weirded-out synthesizers
and freeform vocals to create a truly unique, moody sound. This one
spent a long time in my CD player.
Bob Gajarsky
1) Leah Andreone, _Veiled_ (RCA). Best album of the
last several years? Why this hasn't succeeded in a huge way is
beyond me; an incredible voice, infectious hooks, with a slight
twist on each song that recalls soul, pop, and alterna-rock,
all rolled up in one. Absolutely fabulous.
2) Doug Powell, _Ballad Of The Tin Man_ (Mercury). Another
pure pop record, drawing beautifully on Powell's stated influences
of Todd Rundgren and the Kinks, without surrendering any rocking
guitars or - gasp! - piano.
3) Cast, _All Change (Polydor). Britpop meets the Merseybeat
of the 60's and the ghosts of the Kinks and pre-mods come to life
through John Power's (formerly of the La's) band.
4) Oasis, _That's The Story (Behind The Story)_ . OK,
it's a bootleg...don't tell. Compiling almost all of Oasis'
B-sides from _What's The Story_ up through the release of
"Don't Look Back In Anger" as well as several songs from other
sources, this won't be a surprise to any Oasis fans - the music
stays within their established pattern. What is a surprise
is that the quality of the songs of the songs rarely strays to
that of a B-side, and many of the tracks would fit in nicely
on any Oasis disc. If you want to financially support the band,
you can also do like I've done and purchase the five singles from
the UK on Creation Records, and the _Help!_ soundtrack which serves
a wonderful charity for Bosnian relief. But if you also want it
all on one disc - and have Oasis' "4th" full-length (the 2nd disc
being their 1st bootleg B-sides collection). And, no, I won't
comment on how to get this one.
5) Dodgy, _Free Peace Sweet_ (A&M UK). Coming out in
the States sometime in 1997 on Mercury, Dodgy finally clicked
with this one. It took a few listens to take hold, but then the
album was a constant in my disc player. "Good Enough",
a marvelous song drawing on the Motown influences, is atypical
for _Free Peace Sweet_ - check out the Who's earlier works for
a more direct comparison. A likely contender to break here in
97.
Janet Herman
1) Tori Amos, _Boys For Pele_ (Atlantic). With her third
major label release Tori Amos continues her soul searching in a
manner that is both passionate and endearing. Die hard Amos fans as
well as new fans will continue to appreciate the combination of her
beautiful voice and emotional piano-playing and will also be struck
by the experimentation of different musical styles as Tori Amos
continues to grow musically and lyrically.
2) The Pogues, _Pogue Mahone_ (Warner). Once again the
Pogues bring to life a joyous combination of punk-style singing and
traditional Irish music. Now with their former tin-whistle player
Spider Stacey on lead vocals, instead of former Pogue, Shane MacGowan,
the Pogues continue to mix up their album with lively original tunes
as well as translations of medieval Irish and French poetry as well
as a rousing cover of Bob Dylan's "When the Ship Comes In."
3) The Cure, _Wild Mood Swings_ (Elektra). On the most
recent effort by this band beloved by many, the Cure manage to still
deliver some of popular music's most beautiful and mopey songs about
love and longing. Tracks such as "This Is A Lie" and the opening
song, "Want" bring back happy gloomy memories of _Disintegration_,
one of the band's finest albums by far, blending layers of somnolent
melodies with yearning lyrics and vocals by front man Robert Smith.
4) Fiona Apple, _Tidal_ (Sony/Work). This debut album by 19
year old (18 when first recorded) Fiona Apple is truly a remarkable
achievement for the native New Yorker. With a sultry, mature
cabaret-style voice, Apple croons and seduces her listeners with
infectious ballads including her first single "Shadowboxer" and
"Slow Like Honey." With such a notable debut the listener can only
patiently (or impatiently) wait for more releases from this
startlingly talented new musician.
5) Hamell On Trial, _Big As Life_ (Mercury). Another amazing
debut release of the year is this album by Ed Hamell, a one man band
who relies on his sharp sense of humor and lightning fast acoustic
guitar playing. Combining spoken word with rockabilly rhythms,
Hamell expresses his views on racism, love and even treats his
listeners to slices of his own life on tracks such as the title
track "Big As Life" and "Blood of the Wolf."
Bill Holmes
1) The Odds, _Good Weird Feeling_ (Elektra). Pound for
pound, the best band working the stage right now. Infectious songs
and harmonies, witty and poignant lyrics, and the ability to rock
your world or rip your heart out. I dare you to find a more
confessional heart-tugger than "I Would Be Your Man", and the poppier
songs like "Satisfied" and "Anybody Else But Me" stick to you after
the first listen. This is their third record, and they just keep
getting better - _Nest_ will be released in the U.S. in early 1997
and might be the one that finally breaks it wide open for them.
2) Fountains of Wayne, _Fountains of Wayne_ (TAG/Atlantic).
What a surprise! Out of nowhere comes this side-project band that
strikes gold with it's potpourri of pop stylings and wry humor. How
can you not like a band that takes the best parts of the Beatles,
Raspberries, Beach Boys, Cheap Trick (!) and countless other pop
icons and blends their influences into a fresh and varied approach?
"She's Got A Problem" and the single "Radiation Vibe" will have you
humming the chorus in your sleep, "Leave The Biker" will cause you
to wet yourself from laughing, and the gorgeous "Sick Day" and
"Everything's Ruined" will leave you pensive and daydreaming. There
isn't a bad song on this record.
3) Brad Jones, _Gilt Flake_ (Ginger). Another multi-talented
sideman stepping to the forefront and delivering the goods. He's
graced pop tribute records and always stolen the show with his
stunning pop voice and studio wizardry. These songs date back as
far as 1990, but you'd be hard pressed to find better pop manna
than "Never To Come Again", "Dig Down Deep" and the anthemic "Mary's
Moving Day". Keene, Badfinger, Hollies, Raspberries, jangly guitar,
pop-perfect harmonies - Brad Jones has it all. Major League stuff!
4) Semisonic, _Great Divide_ (MCA). Another great band who
will be ignored by a lame label. Two members of the late Trip
Shakespeare add a drummer and deliver a commercial, yet pop
soundscape. Tempos are all over the map - ballads, rockers, pop -
but 10 of these 12 songs could be radio hits, from the rollicking
"Across The Great Divide" to the gorgeous falsetto-driven
"Temptation"'. A 'drop the needle" must-have.
5) Doug Powell, _Ballad Of The Tin Men_ (Mercury). Wow,
what can I say? As perfect a pop record as Bill Lloyd's _Set To Pop_
and maybe even more consistent? Todd Rundgren, Adam Schmidt and the
aforementioned Bill Lloyd rolled into one. "Day After Day" might
just be one of the best pop singles ever. Why didn't you ever hear
this record on the radio or notice it in the stores? Jason Falkner
fans - check this guy out.
Eric Hsu
1) Bjork, _Post_ (Elektra). Bjork's melodies have sounded
similar from the Sugarcubes on, but I can't dispute it's a dynamite
sounding rut. And I don't usually like heavy production, but on this
CD the music IS the production. Good for: providing cool sounds and
moments that loop sickeningly in your head all day.
2) Ed's Redeeming Qualities, _At the Fish and Game Club_
(Slow River). Intelligent writing melded with a real homemade
acoustic sound. This band has the sweetest personality you'll find,
and the songs are funny and sad. None of the songs surpass the best
of their older records ("Someone Else in the Room", "Virginia"), but
this is their most consistently great record. Good for: smart funny
songs by a shy band you'll want to adopt.
3) Mary Margaret O'Hara, _Miss America_ (Koch). She has a
full beautiful voice which she isn't afraid to shred when the song
or mood calls for it. The songs are as amazing as her singing. See
an earlier issue of Consumable for a full review of this record, a
re-release of what is one of my favorite records. Good for: post
breakup pain.
4) Gram Parsons, _Grievous Angel_ (Reprise). This is the
legendary start of country-rock. Emmylou Harris sounds exquisite here
and the bookends "Return of the Grievous Angel" and "In My Darkest
Hour" are heart-wrenching. The stuff in between it is strong too,
but it's a bit too hyped for its melancholy edge by depressives. Good
for: finding hope in depression and Emmylou Harris, whose voice never
sounded purer.
5) Matthew Sweet, _100% Fun_ (Zoo). More guilty pleasures.
The songs are all completely standard pop songs, each with a cynical
lyrical twist and a musical twist. His harmonies are sharp and his
guest guitarists Richard Lloyd (from Television) and Robert Quine
(from Richard Hell and the Voidoids) are two of my favorites. Good
for: catchy sharp-angled guitars.
Reto Koradi
1) Def Leppard, _Slang_ (Mercury). A couple not
selling-as-well-as-expected albums, a greatest hits release - almost
all bets were off for Def Leppard. Then along comes this excellent
album with surprising variety, from catchy ballads and rockers to
more experimental, trip hop influenced tracks.
2) Holly Palmer, _Holly Palmer_ (Reprise). Fortunately there
are quite a few talented women in today's music scene, but our hearts
are always open for gifted newcomers like Holly Palmer. A wonderful
album, and the amazing thing is that it sounds like she's doing it
with ease.
3) Stiller Has, _Moudi_ (Sound Service - Switzerland). Maybe
of limited interest to the rest of the world, but this is certainly
one of the most worthy Swiss releases of recent years. Simple music
that reminds one of talking blues, but extremely intense, with an
outstanding voice, and absurd lyrics on the border of genius.
4) David Gray, _Sell, Sell, Sell_ (EMI). Wonderful voice,
great songs, perfect music. What more can you expect from an album?
5) The Cure, _Wild Mood Swings_ (Elektra). Even though they
had kept releasing albums, this reviewer had considered them a band
of the past for the last 10 years. Even nicer is the surprise if
they find back to old shape, both on this album and in their live shows.
David Landgren
1) Baby Bird, _Fatherhood_ (Baby Bird Records). New
adventures in low-fi -- or how much fun can you have with a
four-track? Steve Jones, a.k.a. Baby Bird, released five albums
this year. I've played this album, (along with _Bad Shave_)
hundreds of times and I still think it's amazing. A brilliant
pop songster, sketching vignettes of life like a demented
narrator for BBC documentaries.
2) Les Tetes Raides, _Le Bout du Toit_ (WEA France).
I'd hate to classify this as folk - that term conjures up images
of woeful hippies wearing bad clothes - so let's call this neo-folk.
Modern French music, essentially acoustic, less energetic than, say,
Les Negresses Vertes, this album is still high on my play list.
Sounds a bit like Georges Moustaki in the 60's.
3) DJ Shadow, _Endtroducing DJ Shadow_ (Mowax). Reflecting,
as the man says, a lifetime of vinyl culture. This is one of the
most extraordinary, brilliant hip-hop albums I've ever heard. It's
not particularly danceable, it's much more a feast of aural
pleasures. DJ Shadow cooks up a massive sound by sampling drumbeats
and then playing them back at 80%, for a thoroughly phat sound. Epic.
4) Stereolab, _Empire Tomato Ketchup_ (Elektra). Yet another
band that remains true to an ideal, and goes thoroughly unnoticed by
the world at large. 1996 sees Stereolab shedding the Doorsian keyboards
sound for something resolutely more funky. "Les Yper-Sound"
(pron: lay-ee-pair-sow-nd), with its soaring crystal vocals, is the
most grooviest, joyful pop song of 1996. Buy the album. Visit the
unofficial site http://www.maths.monash.edu.au/~rjh/stereolab
5) Tricky, _Nearly God_ (Island). Here's the man for whom
they invented the genre Trip-hop. Personally, I didn't enthuse over
_Maxinquaye_, and so almost passed over this album, that appeared on
the shelves without much fanfare. I guess it was the fact that it
featured guest vocals from the likes of Bjork, Neneh Cherry, Alison
Moyet and Terry Hall (the voice from Fun Boy Three) that made me pick
it up. Lucky I did; it's a dark, moody and sombre album, and very,
very good. In particular, the track by Alison Moyet is as good as
anything in _Upstairs at Eric's_, makes you wish they'd do an entire
album together. Check out http://www.nearlygod.com
Sean Eric McGill
1) Tool, _Aenema_ (Zoo). A disturbing batch of tightly-crafted
songs that never ceases to amaze me - even three months after its release.
2) T.A.F.K.A.P., _Emancipation_ (N.P.G. Records). Three CDs
and thirty-six songs (thirty-four of which are new) that cover the
spectrum of musical talent and styles that we've come to know and
expect from the one who now wishes to be called "The Artist".
3) Korn, _Life Is Peachy_ (Epic/Immortal). An album as
unrelenting and brutal as their self-titled debut, Korn may well be
the direction that harder rock is headed in the next few years...God
help us all.
4) Tori Amos, _Boys For Pele_ (Atlantic). Despite her
occasional over-use of arrangements, Amos' lyrics and musical ability
continue to set her ahead of her peers.
5) Pantera, _The Great Southern Trendkill_ (EastWest). For the
past four albums, Pantera has become more and more brutal with each
album. For their next release, there's a chance that the band may
just come to your home and beat you senseless when you buy the album.
Scott A. Miller
1) Wilco, _Being There_ (Reprise). With its mix of
heartfelt country and sing-along rock treats, Wilco's 1995
debut _A.M._ won over critics who remember lead songwriter Jeff
Tweedy from the legendary Uncle Tupelo. Tweedy and Wilco are back
in '96 with a sprawling two-disc set of 19 songs that draw on his
love for groups like the Beach Boys, Small Faces and Mott the
Hoople. But this is no Black Crowes retro outing. Everything is
fresh and fun. And just like the classics of yesteryear, you'll
be listening to _Being There_ for years to come.
2) Jonny Polonsky, _Hi My Name is Jonny_ (American). The
Pixies never got the credit they deserved for defining the '90s
punk/pop sound. Enter 22-year-old Jonny Polonsky in 1996 with what
is essentially a great Pixies album. Recorded in a spare bedroom
at his mom's house, the album's 10 songs clock in at 24 minutes
even. Still there isn't a half-baked idea anywhere. Polonsky can
even use the word "impregnable" as he does on the shoulda-been-huge
"Love Lovely Love" and not sound stupid.
3) Slobberbone, _Crow Pot Pie_ (Doolittle Records). If
there's a place in your collection for cow punk, then there's a
place in your heart for Slobberbone's debut. _Crow Pot Pie_ is a
fast, fast, fast ride through the trailer-park ghetto of
singer-songwriter Brent Best's Denton, TX, mind. From the opening
"Sober Song," which is anything but, to the dark humor of "Shoot
You Dead" and "I Can Tell Your Love is Waning," this set will have
you laughing, dancing, and drinking all the way to hell, which by
the way, you will glimpse in the ninth song, the heart-breaking
"Little Sister."
4) The Lemonheads, _Car Button Cloth_ (Atlantic). Rich kid
turned grown-up rich kid Evan Dando may have the world by the ass
on the downhill drag, but that doesn't make his endearing garage
pop sound any less charming. Filled with catchy melodies and
moderately sloppy fills, like the whistling solo in the sly "If
I Could Talk I'd Tell You," _Car Button Cloth_ finds Dando playfully
winking at his life and yours. He even did the cover drawing and
you'd swear it was the work of a 6-year-old.
5) Jason Falkner, _presents Author Unknown_ (Elektra). If
Evan Dando is the lazy boy genius of pop, then Jason Falkner is
his overachieving perfect brother. What stands out about _presents
Author Unknown_ is Falkner's absolutely stellar guitar work and his
near-mastery of every other instrument in the band. Some people can
play piano, drums, bass and guitar; Falkner could play them in other
people's bands. But the songs don't exist for Falkner to show off.
With a list of influences a mile long, Falkner moves easily from
bluesy rock to power pop with a little punk attitude thrown in for
good measure.
Tim Mohr
1) Space, _Spiders_ (Gut UK). A welcome widening of Britpop,
melding the strong melodic sense and structured writing of the guitar
bands with syncopated beats and a sense of fun borrowed from Madness,
the Specials, and Black Grape. A rebirth of the spirit that produced
the Madchester scene; dance, pop, and wry lyrics rolled into a
terrific debut album. Coming out on Universal in the States in 1997,
a full review of Spiders will appear in a January issue of Consumable.
2) Ruby, _Salt Peter Remixed_ (Creation/Sony). A well-rounded
report on the various forms of dance music bubbling about the UK. A
lengthy drum & bass excursion by Goldie's Metalheadz crew, some
engaging house-ish rethinks, hip-hop-ish underpinnings, the works.
3) Suede, _Coming Up_ (Nude/Sony UK). Stripped of the arty
extremities that originally brought them to the forefront of British
guitar music, Suede return with a mainstream album of Bowie rock. The
lyrics are perhaps a trifle more ridiculous, though a quick relisten
to old tracks ("Stay Together" is a particularly egregious example)
will remind you that Brett's musings were never the reason to listen
to this band anyway.
4) The Prodigy, "Firestarter" & "Breathe" singles. A pair of
brutal hybrids of technology and, unexpectedly, guitar. Vocals from
two guys whose styles could hardly be farther apart: one intent on
resurrecting Johnny Rotten with more authenticity than Mr Lydon
himself managed with re-formed Sex Pistols, the other representing
the hard-core element of raggamuffin and hip-hop. Not an album,
but truly a highlight of 1996.
5) Baby Bird, _Ugly Beautiful_ (Echo). For their first record
with a full band, this New Zealand outfit redoes tracks from their
four oddball records from the last 18 months. Great songs very
reminiscent of Echo & the Bunnymen's best work.
Al Muzer
1) Scarce, _Deadsexy_ (A&M). Ravaged vocals, stuttering riffs
and a humbucking guitar collide with an almost British Invasion,
multi-harmony, male/female chorus for a wild, steering
wheel-pounding, three-minute ride ("Honey Simple") to the top of the
Buzz Bin heap.
2) The Cheese, _Flip Your Lid_ (Curb). Joyously plagiarizes,
modernizes and bastardizes supercharged classic rock and pop riffs
nobody's thought to steal in years.
3) The Wrens, _Secaucus_ (Grass). An effervescent blend of
classic-sounding melodies, choruses and hooks coupled with a brilliant
mastery of the forgotten art of writing great songs.
4) The Elevator Drops, _Pop Bus_ (Time Bomb). A juiced-up,
hit producin' version of Ween with a major new wave-via-glam-era
Bowie fixation and a kouple'a Kinks records in their kollektion.
5) The Borrowers, _The Borrowers_ (Guardian). The effortless,
intuitive pop instincts of a Marshall Crenshaw-Bruce Cockburn genetic
mutation gone electric - one of those sneaky, low-key discs that
creeps up on you and quickly becomes an essential part of your day.
Linda Scott
1) Sting, _Mercury Falling_ (A&M). Sting continues his
interest in pop music with a polished production. One classy release.
2) Nirvana, _From The Muddy Banks Of Wishkah_ (Geffen). While
it satisfies even the mightiest grunge hankerings, listening to Kurt
Cobain is still a sad experience. An excellent album knocked out of
first place since most tracks are already widely distributed on bootlegs.
3) R.E.M., _New Adventures In Hi-Fi_ (Warner). R.E.M. puts
together another solid hit maker with roots in _Automatic For The
People_ and _Monster_. If you like R.E.M.'s newer albums, this one's
a winner.
4) Blue Nile, _Peace At Last_ (Warner). The Blue Nile is an
obscure pop band that we all need to find out more about. The band
takes its time to make each song a jewel. In twelve years just three
albums have come from this Scottish trio. The second, _Hats_, may be
the best, but the third, _Peace At Last_ is beautiful. A lovely,
romantic recording with exquisite lyrics, wonderful vocals and music.
5) Neurotic Outsiders, _Neurotic Outsiders_ (Maverick).
Bringing together musicians from Guns N'Roses, The Sex Pistols and
Duran Duran, this self-titled album roars with rock and punk. The
band's experience level is high, so performances are polished yet
raw. The only thing standing between Neurotic Outsiders and success
is the members' prior commitments to their home bands.
John Walker
1) Manic Street Preachers, _Everything Must Go_ (Epic). The
Manics survive the loss of founding member and focal point Richey
Edwards to make their most focused, eclectic album yet. _EMG_
balances Edwards' bleak nihilism (in songs like his "Small Black
Flowers That Grow In The Sky") with the more melancholic but
ultimately life-affirming pop vision of bassist Nicky Wire to great
effect, whilst singer/guitarist/musical composer James Dean Bradfield
again proves that he's the most underrated talent in rock and roll.
2) Nearly God, _Nearly God_ (Island). Tricky says that he's
never done heroin, but now that a friend told him that _Nearly God_
is the ultimate smack album, he doesn't have to. Whatever your drug
of choice may be, this is one seriously mind-boggling "duets" album
from the guy who brought you 1995's "trip-hop" classic _Maxinquaye_.
Success hasn't sat altogether comfortably on Tricky's skinny shoulders,
and on this slab of mutant postmodern blues, he delves into the inner
recesses of his twisted psyche a la Sly Stone circa _There's A Riot
Goin' On_. Ditto for his just-released solo work _Pre-Millennium
Tension_.
3) Suede, _Coming Up_ (Sony UK). Too bad you unlucky Yanks
will have to pay import prices (until April) for this until next
year, but we in the U.K. and Canada can tell you that the coin outlay
is worth it. Just when they were supposed to fall flat on their
pretty faces following the departure of guitarmeister Bernard Butler,
Brett Anderson and the boyz have dusted themselves off, got out the
Bowie and Bolan records, and made another strong album. With newbie
guitarist Richard Oakes at the helm, songs like "She" and "Film Star"
(glam) rock harder than Suede has previously done, and Brett is up to
form on the Ziggyesque balladry of "Picnic By The Motorway."
4) Girls Against Boys, _House of GVSB_ (Touch & Go). An
incendiary live act that burned up the second stage at Lollapalooza
this summer, GVSB are one band that remembers when alternative rock
meant The Fall, PIL, Killing Joke and others of the first wave of
post-punk rockers. These guys rock demonically here on songs like
"Disco 666" and "The Kinda Mzk You Like." If you think alternawimps
like Evan Dando and Green Day are somehow "cutting edge," it's time
to spend a night at the _House of GVSB_.
5) Placebo, _Placebo_ (Caroline). Like GVSB, Placebo also
look back to first-wave alternative rockers like Joy Division, early
New Order, Jane's Addiction, and others of the "darker" 80s set, but
update the sound and look for the 90s. Androgynous singer Brian
Molko emerges here as a serious contender for Bowie-styled visionary
status with stunningly sophisticated songs like "I Know" and "Lady
of the Flowers." A band to watch for in the remaining years of the
decade.
Simon West
1) Manic Street Preachers, _Everything Must Go_ (Epic). No,
so it's not the dark, seething classic that was _The Holy Bible_,
but any attempt to stick with that would have been rather contrived
at best. Instead, the Richey James-less Manics release a blinder of
a comeback with an atypically accessible effort. First single "A
Design For Life" is simply majestic, an epic song with one of the
best videos of the year. Richey is present in spirit on the haunting
"Removables" and "Small Black Flowers that Grow In The Sky." A fine
album with some cracking songs, although part of me still prefers
my Manics crackling with anger and spitting with venom...
2) Pulp, _Different Class_ (Island). Technically a late 95
release, but Spin picked it in their Top 20 list... This one is
simply genius. Building on the style perfected on _His 'N Hers_ a
couple of years previously, Jarvis Cocker breathes and moans his
way through this brilliant collection of tales of class warfare,
childhood love and adultery. "Common People" is a superb, biting
attack on class, and "I Spy" is evil stuff, Jacques Brel after a
bottle of cheap gin. "Disco 2000", meanwhile, will be immediately
loved by anyone rejected by some great love in middle school (you
can almost see Jarvis following the song's subject home in his
shorts and blazer), and "Something Changed" is surprisingly touching,
as close to a "conventional" love song as Pulp have got. Wonderful.
Buy it.
3) Cast, _All Change_ (Polydor). Technically late 95 too,
but it didn't hit the States till 96. The nearest rivals Oasis have
got for good honest rock, from ex-La John Power and friends.
"Alright" was a criminally overlooked single in the States, the
catchiest tune of the year ,it should have been *massive*. "Fine
Time" and "Promised Land" are equally infectious and addictive, and
the acoustic ballad "Walkaway" is marred only by the fact that you
keep imagining Liam Gallagher singing it instead of Power. The best
"Britpop" album of the year.
4) Chemical Brothers, "Setting Sun" single (Caroline). A
thundering beat, driving techno rhythm, and bugger me if that's not
Noel Gallagher, taking time out from Oasis to deliver the vocals on
the best techno/dance single of the year. Nice show of diversity
from the Oasis songwriter, and he shows he can handle vocal duties
on something loud and nasty. Is it just me, or does he sound quite a
bit like Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan on this? The latest in an
increasing crossover between Britpop and Techno (Chemical Bros vs.
Charlatans, etc), more of this is welcome.
5) Marc Almond, _Fantastic Star_ (Mercury UK). The big shock.
Normally an Almond release would be top 2 by default, but after two
years of delays, during which an enormous amount of great new music
emerged, _Fantastic Star_ was a wee bit of a let down. A lengthy 18
track trawl through the dark side of fame, sleazy cities and seedy
people, it's a slightly hit-and-miss affair. Early live performances
of some of this material were surprisingly heavy on guitar, lending
a harder edge to the Almond torch song, but unfortunately much of
this was watered down and embellished with rather mundane
electronics. "Brilliant Creatures" was the biggest disappoinment,
transformed from a guitar-driven plaintive lost-love rainy night
type thing into a generic high bpm dance floor filler, though the
brilliance of the song still shines through here and there. There's
still eight or nine songs on here that meet the expected standard;
however, not a bad strike rate on what is essentially a double
album. After some 15 years, this is as close as I've come to an
Almond disappoinment - number five instead of one or two.
---
ERRATA: As noted by reader Matthew Weber, _Sinsation_ is
not Pig's first record - he has released other records on Wax
Trax! and Concrete. Thanks for this correction.
---
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